Stop devices for traveling lawn sprinklers



7 y 3, 1955 A. F. STEEN 07,655

STOP DEVICES FOR TRAVELING LAWN SPRINKLERS Filed Aug. 21. 1953 2Sheets-Sheet 1 L mm mmcfmm A TTORNE Y May 3, 1955 A. F. STEEN STOPDEVICES FOR TRAVELING LAWN SPRINKLERS Filed Aug. 21, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet2 V INVENTOR. fier/m/P 572-? A T TOR/IE Y United States Patent 2,707,655STOP DEVICES FOR TRAVELING LAWN SPRINKLERS Arthur F. Steen, Denver,Colo. Application August 21, 1953, Serial No. 375,684 4 Claims. (Cl.29950) This invention relates to a stop device for :lawn sprinklers ofthe type having a water actuated mechanism for causing the sprinkler totravel along a garden hose as it sprinkles.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a stop device whichcan be positioned at any desired point in the path of a travelingsprinkler and which when engaged by the sprinkler will stop furtherforward travel thereof.

The invention is more particularly designed for use on sprinklers of thetype which travel along the water hose as they sprinkle and has for oneof its objects the provision of a device which can be positioned at anydesired point along the hose and which will stop the travel of thesprinkler at the desired point without stopping the operation of thesprinkler.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of theinvention, which is designed for simplicity, economy and efficiency.These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is hadto the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numeralsrefer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout thedescription.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved sprinkler stop device;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section therethrough, taken on the line 2-2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side view, illustrating a conventional traveling sprinklerapproaching the improved stop device; and

Fig. 4 is a similar View illustrating the sprinkler stopped by thedevice.

In the drawing, a conventional lawn or garden hose is indicated at andthe elements of a conventional traveling sprinkler attached thereto aredesignated by numeral as follows: main frame 11; grooved guide wheels12; drive wheels 13, provided with ratchet traction teeth 14; circularwheel weights 15, wheel actuating ratchet 16; and rotating sprinklerhead 17.

The rotation of the sprinkler head 17 actuates the ratchet 16 to causethe latter to engage the teeth 14 so as to force the entire springleralong the hose 10 guided by the grooved guide wheel 12. The circularwheel weights are secured to and project outwardly from the drive wheels13. The wheel weights serve a double purpose in that they limit thedistance the drive wheels enter the turf and they provide weight on thedrive wheels for firm traction engagement.

This invention comprises a fiat base plate 18 of sheet metal or the likeprovided with hose clips 19 along its medial line. The longitudinalsides of the base plate 18 are bent upwardly and downwardly to forminverted V-shaped guide edges 20. The base plate is provided with anupturned forward extremity 21 having a central hose notch positionedabove a ground engaging point 22. Two flaring sprinkler aligning arms 23extend upwardly and outwardly from each of the side guide edges adjacentthe rearward or entering extremity of the base plate.

Two track bars 24 and 25 are secured to the floor plate 18 immediatelyinside of the guide edges 20 at the entering extremity of the floorplate.

7 O The track bar 25 is provided with a plurality of tooth openings 26and the other track bar 24 is provided with a single tooth opening 27 instaggered relation to the openings 26.

A roller plate 28 is secured to each of the side edges 20 and inclinesinwardly corresponding to the incline of the side edge. Each of theplates 28 carries two spacedapart idler rollers 29 journalled aboutroller shafts 30 upon suitable inclined supporting bars 31. The rollersproject upwardly and inwardly above the top edges of the roller plates28.

In use, the hose 10 is positioned in the notch of the forward extremity21 and in the hose clips 19 so as to extend medially of the base plate18. The sprinkler gradually approaches the base plate and the guidewheel 12 travels forwardly therealong. The drive wheels 13 enter uponthe track bars 24 and 25 guided by the aligning arms 23 and the ratchetteeth 14 of one wheel engage the openings 26 therein. The guide wheelsnow travel up the incline of the track bars and forwardly to a positionin alignment with the first rollers 29. The track bars at this point areinclined downwardly, as shown at 32 to allow the circular wheel weights15 to rest upon and between the pairs of rollers 29, as shown in Fig. 2.At this time the guide wheel 12 contacts the upturned extremity 22 andthe drive wheels continue to rotate without further forward movement ofthe sprinkler frame 11.

It will be noted that although the stop device has stopped forwardmovement of the frame 11, it does not stop rotation of the sprinklerhead 17 since the drive wheels may continue to rotate without tractiveeffort.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described andillustrated herein, it is to be understood that the same may be varied,within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from thespirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired securedby Letters Patent is:

1. A stop device, for a traveling lawn sprinkler of the type having twooppositely positioned, toothed drive wheels each carrying a concentric,circular wheel weight and a guide wheel arranged to travel along agarden hose to guide said sprinkler therealong, comprising: a base plateadapted to be positioned beneath said hose at any desired pointtherealong to receive both drive wheels of t the traveling sprinkler;medially positioned hose-engaging out of contact with said base platewithout retarding rotation of the latter.

3. A stop device for lawn sprinklers as described in claim 2 havinginclined track means mounted on said base plate and positioned toreceive and elevate said drive wheels sufficiently to place said wheelweights on said rollers.

4. A stop device for lawn sprinklers as described in claim 3 having anupwardly-turned, forward extremity on said base plate against which theguide wheel of said sprinkler will rest when the drive wheels thereofare supported by said rollers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

